Strategic Philanthropy Lead, Major Gifts and Campaigns Canadian Blood Services

Job Description

The Opportunity

We are currently seeking a Strategic Philanthropy Lead, Major Gifts and Campaigns to lead and manage our major gifts program and major fundraising campaigns for Canadian Blood Services (CBS). Reporting to the Director, Philanthropy, the Strategic Philanthropy Lead will manage relationships with individuals, private sector businesses, charitable foundations and other associations and constituencies. The new incumbent will lead revenue generation and financial partnership development for Canadian Blood Services to further the organization’s mission, vision and fundraising strategy.

This position is an integral part of the management team for Canadian Blood Services’ Philanthropy department.

Please note that this position may be based in our National Office in Ottawa, or our Toronto office at College/Bay. Travel across Canada, primarily to Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Halifax, will be required in this position.

About Canadian Blood Services

Canadian Blood Services is a national, not-for-profit charitable organization that manages the blood and blood products supply in every Canadian province and territory except Quebec. Since 1998, Canadian Blood Services has proudly provided the safe and reliable lifeline that lets Canadians share a part of themselves, motivated simply by a strong sense of compassion and community. Every day, Canadians freely donate blood, plasma, stem cells, tissues and organs to save or enhance the lives of others.

With 4300 employees and an annual budget of over $1 billion, Canadian Blood Services operates 43 permanent collection sites, more than 19,000 donor clinics, and collects and processes approximately 1,000,000 units of blood annually.

The Canadian Blood Services’ OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network recruits healthy, committed volunteers between the ages of 17 and 35 who are willing to be a match for any patient in need. The Network also provides assistance nationally and internationally in searching for an unrelated blood stem cell/marrow donor, including coordinating all steps from the initial search request to the actual donation. A specific website has been created to assist all involved in locating the forms and reference documents needed throughout this process. The Canadian Blood Services' Cord Blood Bank is part of the OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network that collects voluntarily donated cord blood units from mothers at four hospitals across Canada.

In our commitment to operating in an open, transparent and collaborative manner, a Public Participation Task Force (PPTF) was established in 2000 to make recommendations on ensuring effective public participation. Since then, and prior to the formalization of the Task Force, the Canadian Blood Services Board of Directors has launched a number of public involvement initiatives including public consultations, special advisory committees and regional and national liaison committees.

Centre for Innovation – Conducting and Supporting Leading-Edge Research

Canadian Blood Services, through its Centre for Innovation, conducts and supports research in key priority areas that span the translational continuum from “bench to bed side.” With a focus on transfusion science and medicine and emerging related fields such as cellular therapies and organ and tissue transplantation, the Centre ensures the continued safety, quality and supply of fresh blood components, plasma products and stem cells for Canadians.

Instrumental to the Centre for Innovation’s research efforts are discovery research laboratories and product and process development laboratories. Complementing the core Canadian Blood Services research laboratories, the Centre for Innovation plays a key role in facilitating a national and international network of blood system experts to address today’s issues and prepare us for tomorrow. Through a series of funding programs and research collaborations, the Centre for Innovation supports a vast network of Canadian and international investigators and partners.

Fundraising at Canadian Blood Services

Canadian Blood Services is grateful to our generous donors – individuals, foundations and corporations – who contributed close to $1,500,000 last year. These financial donations help patients by strengthening lifesaving programs and initiatives in four focus areas

Blood

Stem Cells

Organs and Tissues

Research and Innovation

Launched in 2011, Canadian Blood Services’ first fundraising campaign For All Canadians raised $12.5 million to establish Canada’s national public cord blood bank. Since opening, the Canadian Blood Services’ Cord Blood Bank has collected over 18,000 cord blood units, of which 2,000 have been banked. In 2016, we celebrated the first shipments of cord blood units.

Our next campaign will advance our research and innovation agenda, focusing on the space, people and priority projects to ensure that Canadian Blood Services continues to be a global leader in transfusion and transplantation medicine and science.

We aim to attract annual financial donations of $5 to $7 million to advance this innovative work that is firmly within our realm of expertise and responsibility. Thanks to our committed and enthusiastic donors, Canadian Blood Services will continue to be an important pan-Canadian healthcare partner for generations to come.

A confident and seasoned major gift fundraiser, the ideal candidate will draw from previous campaign experience to manage senior campaign volunteers and coach fellow staff and CBS colleagues. Highly motivated and gaining personal fulfillment in building and implementing major gift campaigns, the Strategic Philanthropy Lead, Major Gifts and Campaigns will instinctively collaborate with the Canadian Blood Services Public Affairs and Philanthropy team members to leverage synergies and maximize all fundraising efforts.

With a laser-like focus on major gift fundraising, the ideal candidate will promote a robust call culture and bring a consistent solicitation approach, with active leadership to, and participation in, securing multiple high end gifts from individuals and corporations. The successful candidate will articulate our case for support and inspire philanthropy through aspirational and visionary conversations with our donors and prospective donors. Having past experience engaging senior volunteers, community leaders and institutional leadership in major gift prospect identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship, the ideal candidate will effectively work with and through others.

An active listener who is open and flexible to various communications styles, the successful candidate will be an adept communicator who is comfortable telling our story and effective in front of the diverse audiences who represent Canada’s multicultural communities. Consistent and collaborative, the ideal candidate will value idea-sharing, constructive and diverse conversation and bold forward-thinking. The new incumbent will be a strong writer who is able to infuse their passion for and understanding of our cause into every communications piece.

Calm, grounded and steady, with resilience and perseverance, the Strategic Philanthropy Lead will be undaunted by challenges. Displaying a high degree of emotional intelligence and self-awareness, the ideal candidate will intuitively know when to push forward and when to respectfully push back. A strong bridge builder and team-oriented, the new incumbent will be comfortable on a small team within a very large and complex organization that stretches across Canada. Willing to ask for or offer help when needed, the successful candidate will be open, transparent, and highly collegial.

The Strategic Philanthropy Lead will possess exceptional organization and project management skills, paying high attention to detail and quality while managing the multiple moving parts of the role. Disciplined and accountable, the successful candidate will strive to excel in all areas of performance. The ideal candidate will be both pragmatic and results-focused, and will appreciate that sound strategy and rigorous process leads to success in actively closing gifts.

Inspired by our mission and passionate about our role in healthcare for Canadians, the successful candidate will embrace our commitment to integrity, collaboration and innovation.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership and Major Gift Donor Acquisition

Donor and prospect cultivation of leadership and major gifts to successfully deliver on national fundraising campaign goals, specifically, the achievement of $5M-$7M annually for 5 years to support the organization’s research and innovation strategy.

Planning – In collaboration with the Philanthropy leadership team, create annual and long-range strategic and integrated fundraising plans based on reliable internal and external data analysis. Ensure the incorporation of campaign strategy and planning with Major Gifts, Planned Gifts and Annual Gifts.

Prospect Cultivation – Working with campaign ambassadors and volunteers, the Strategic Philanthropy Lead is responsible for the identification and cultivation of prospective donors to the campaign.

Gift Acquisition – The Strategic Philanthropy Lead is responsible for completing the donation cycle and finalizing prospect donations to the campaign, overseeing the fulfilment of the donor pledge.

Donor Retention

Development of collaborative relationships with internal and external constituencies, locally, regionally and nationally to foster long-term donor relationships

Research and cultivate relationships with potential donors and/or partners.

Develop a balanced funding mix of potential donor and/or partner sources and solicitation programs tailored to the research and innovation needs of the organization, that enable it to attract, retain and motivate financial donors and partners.

Develop purposeful relationships with major donors, corporations and foundations that will lead to financial support, as well as partnerships and advocacy in support of Canadian Blood Services over the long-term.

Campaign Management

Overall management of the day-to-day operations of the major gift program and campaigns

Project Management – Responsible for detailed project planning and tracking of key milestones of the research and innovation fundraising campaign.

Campaign Communications – In collaboration with Public Affairs Division, the Strategic Philanthropy Lead is responsible for the overall communication strategy and tactics of the fundraising campaign, and for ensuring that the messaging is in keeping with the overall Canadian Blood Services brand strategy.

The Strategic Philanthropy Lead performs work in accordance with the provisions of the Canadian Blood Services’ Corporate Health and Safety Policies and Procedures, ensures that their employees are aware of and comply with all the Corporate Health and Safety Policies and procedures, and ensures ongoing monitoring and reporting of all occupational health and safety issues in the workplace.

Proven success in leading a capital campaign; experience in directing a national campaign is preferred.

Experience in identifying and developing strategic partnerships and gift-in-kind agreements to bring added value to the organization.

Experience in working directly with a Board of Directors and/or a Campaign Cabinet/Volunteer Committee.

A University Degree from a recognized academic institution, preferably in an area such as Business Administration, Commerce, or Public Administration. CFRE or equivalent experience with proven results is required. FAHP, ACFRE or willingness to pursue such designation, is preferred.

Demonstrated Skills and Abilities:

Proven record of success in fundraising, particularly in the area of major gifts and corporate partnerships.

Experience writing business plans and developing fundraising program plans.

Highly skilled both strategically and tactically and able to articulate the CBS case for support.

Proven ability to relate to diverse groups of people. Ability to communicate effectively at all levels; training and presentation experience desired.

Application Process

KCI (Ketchum Canada Inc.) has been retained to conduct this search on behalf of Canadian Blood Services. For more information about this opportunity, interested candidates are invited to contact Sylvie Battisti, Vice President, Search by email at CBS@kciphilanthropy.com.

Candidates who wish to be considered for this position are kindly asked to submit a resume and a letter of interest to the above email address no later than June 4, 2018.